title: The Italian Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER) recommendations for neck pain.
abstract: The paper represents the Italian Society of Physical " and Rehabilitation Medicine (SIMFER) recommendations to Neck Pain. We searched the principal scientific databases for papers concerning the main approaches to NP, including international guidelines, clinical trials of high methodological value and systematic reviews without any temporal limits. The recommendations were graded on the basis of the National Plan for Guidelines of the Italian Istituto Superiore di Sanità, which includes the level of evidence and strength of the recommendation. The principal sections of the recommendations deal with the Evaluation and Therapy for Neck Pain. The first describes the main evidence concerning the evaluation of patients with NP with or without limb involvement and/or headache: medical history, physical examination, neurological examination, laboratory tests, electrodiagnostics, diagnostic imaging and self-administered questionnaires. The second describes the best evidence synthesis concernig the therapy for Neck Pain: education, exercise, medical therapy, manual therapy, traction, physical therapy, acupuncture, orthoses, multimodal treatment, behavioural treatment.
authors.affiliation: Operative Unit of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Scientific Institute of Lissone, Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS and SIMFER Scientific Section of Outpatient Rehabilitation. marco.monticone@fsm.it
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monticone
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iovine
authors.forename: Giampaolo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: de Sena
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rovere
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Uliano
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Arioli
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bonaiuti
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brugnoni
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ceravolo
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerri
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalla Toffola
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fiore
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Foti
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D004493:Education; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D010810:Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; D014143:Traction; D016896:Treatment Outcome